Draft-rigging.



N..35,o5a. Y -MslBN'IrED Nov. 6,1906.

DRAFT RIGGING.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28. 1906.

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UNITED STATES PATENT CFFICE.

I l' JOHN s. COOPER, OE VILLA GROVE, ILLINois. y

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 28, 1906. Serial No. 323,810.

Patented Nov. 6, 1906.

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN S. COOPER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Villa Grove, in the county of Douglas and State of Illinois,have` invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft-Rigging 5and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to limprovements in draft-rigging forrailway-cars.

The object of the invention is to provide a draft-rigging having meanswhereby the slack of the draw-bar, due to the wear of the parts, will betaken up, thereby preventing the jerking of the car when starting or thesudden jarring of the same when stopping.

A further object is to provide a draft-rigging which may be taken outand replaced under a car without removing the load.

. With the above and other objects in view the invention consists ofcertain novel features of construction,combination, and arrangement ofparts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of aportion of a freight-car, showing the application of the inventionthereto. Fig. 2 1s an end view of the same. Fig. 3 is a central verticallongitudinal sectional view, and Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-sectionalview takenon a line with the draw-bar key.

Referringl more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes `thelongitudinal sills of the car, 2 denotes the front bolster, and 3 thefront cross-sill of the same. Secured to the lower side of thelongitudinal sills 1 is a draw-bar-supporting frame 4, said framecomprising parallel longitudinally-disposed guide-bars 5, having on itsinner edges upwardlyroj ect'ing longitudinally-disposed securinganges 6,which are adapted to engage the inner sides ofthe longitudinal sills andare securely bolted thereto, as shown. The inner ends of the flanges 6project beyond the ends of the side bars and engage the upper side ofthe front bolster 2, as shown at .7. The forward ends of the guide-bars5 are connected together by a strap 8 and are securely held to the frontcross-sill 3 by a strap 9.

Slidably mounted between the side bars 5 is a draw-bar 10, in the innerend of which is secured a rearwardly-projecting guide-stem lower-plates13, the ends of which areseated in oppositely-disposed recesses 14 onthe adjacent inner faces of the guide-bars 5. Between thefollower-plates 13 in the recesses 14 are arranged coil-springs 15.','In the 'inner end of the stem 12 is formed a vertically- 12, whichextends through apertured foll disposed slot, in which is arranged aretaining-ke 16, adapted to engage the adjacent face o the innerfollower-plate 13, as shown.

Through the draw-bar 10, adjacent to its inner end, is formed ahorizontal transversely-disposed slot 17, through which and throughalined longitudinally-dis osed slots 18 in the guide-bars 5 is ada te tobe inserted a draw-bar key 19. T e key 19 is secured in place by meansof pins or other fastening devices 20, arranged in the projecting endsof the key and engaging the outer sides of the guide-bars 5, as'shown.The slots 18 are of greater length than the width of the keyf19, therebypermittin the same to have a greater or less amount o play. In the innersides of the guide-bars 5, adj acentto each side of the draw-bar, areformed longitudinally-disposed recesses 21, in each of which is disposeda spiral spring 22. One endl of the spring 22 bears against the forwardwall of f t draw-bar is normally forced inward and by means of which ayielding connection is provided between the draw-bar and the guidebar 5.

If desired, the inner ends of the guide-bars 5 may be recessedlongitudinally, as shown at 23, and provided with a centrally-disposedrimy or web 24, thereby decreasing the weight of the guide-bars withoutdiminishing the strength of the same. j

B providing a draft-rigging such as herein s own and described ayielding connection is provided for the draw-bar, whereby all erking orjarring resulting from looseness of the arts due to wear will beprevented by the ta 'ng up of said looseness or slack with the springs15 and 22, as will be understood.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the inventionwill be readily understood without re uiring a more extendedexplanation.

arious changes in the form, proportion,

and the minor details of construction may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the prin- IOO IIO

, end of said guide-bars to attach the latter to the front cross-sill ofthe car, a draw-bar slidably mounted between said guide-bars,follower-plates arranged in oppositely-disi vposed recesses in the innersides of said bars,

coil-springs arranged between said plates to yieldingly force the sameapart, a stein conneeted to the inner end of the draw-bar and extendingthrough alined apertures in said plates, a key arranged in the innerprojecting end of said stem, a transversely-disposed draw-bar keyarranged in said draw-bar and slidably engaging alined slots in saidguide- 2 5 bars, coil-springs arranged in longitudinal recesses in theinner sides of said guide-bars between the forward edge of said draw-barkey and the end walls of said recesses, where- Vby said key and draw-barare yieldingly 3o forced inward or retracted, and means to hold saiddraw-bar key in place, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set iny hand in presence of twosubscribing wt- 35 nesses;

JOHN S. COOPER. Witnesses:

G. L. KENNEDY, BARNEY HEssLER.l

